Runners from the Sunshine State were shining brightly on Sunday morning at the Walt Disney World Marathon. Matthew Dobson of the little town of Jay, FL (pop. 579) had a big day in the 26.2- miler that goes through the Disney Resort. The 34-year-old won the 11th annual Disney Marathon in 2 hours, 27 minutes and 58 seconds. Completing a marathon double by Florida runners, Kim Donaldson, 42, of St. Petersburg, FL, won the women's title in 2:59:13. It was the first time two runners from Florida had won this event.

Dobson trailed Pedro Moura, 33, of Brazil from the beginning, but kept a steady pace while Moura started to fade. Dobson caught him at Mile 19 and took the lead between the 21st and 22nd miles. Moura, hoping to become the second consecutive Brazilian to win at Disney, hung on for second in a time of 2:30:16. Last year, Adriano Bastos of Brazil won in 2:18:33. He couldn't run this year because of an injury. Taking third on Sunday was Paul Jones of Apex, NC, in a time of 2:35:19.

In the women's race, Donaldson accomplished her goal of breaking three hours. She came in just ahead of her training partner, Maryann Protz, 47, of St. Petersburg, FL, who finished in 3:00:36. Jeanne Anne Krizman, 30, of Tucson, AZ, took third in 3:06:37.

In the half-marathon, three members of the Hanson's Running Team out of Rochester Hills, MI, took the top three spots in the identical time of 1:05:42. Clint Verran, 28, was awarded the victory because his Chip time was a second faster than those of teammates Nick Cordes, 24, and Brian Sell, 25. Kim Pawelek, 29, of Arden, NC, became a three-time winner of the half-marathon on the women's side with a 1:18:12. Melissa Gulli, 24, of College Station, TX, was second in 1:19:44 and Bea Marie Altiere 36, of Clermont, FL, was third in 1:12:56. Altiere won the marathon in 2003.

Veteran wheelchair racer Saul Mendoza, 37, of Wimberley, TX, was an easy winner, rolling to his eighth straight Disney title in 1:48:15. There was no women's champion. In the half, first place went to Terry Blackwell, 57, of New Orleans, LA, in a time of 1:39:30. Women's winner was Buddy Hayes, 45, of Chesapeake, VA, in 2:10:23.

The temperature was 39 degrees at the 6 a.m. race time, the second-coldest in the history of the event. In 2002, the temperature was 30 degrees at the start. In the marathon, there were 10,829 official starters and 9,377 finishers according to Bill Hofheimer of Disney media relations. In the half, there was in interesting phenomenon, possibly caused because the race filled in 12 days last March. There were 5,758 official starters and 6,556 finishers. Hofheimer said marathoners who decided to finish at the half-marathon point were allowed to do so, but wouldn't count for overall or age-group awards. They did receive finisher's medals. Hofheimer said "it was a terrific event" and said there no "major medical situations."